Kagiso Rabada picked up his 14th Test match five-wicket haul on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test match against India, a feat that improves his already historically excellent numbers.

Up until lunch on day one, Rabada had figures of 5-41 after 15 overs, conceding runs at an economy rate of 2.70 per over. The highlight was his stunning dismissal of Virat Kohli, getting him with a brilliant out-swinger that angled in initially, forcing Kohli to play the ball before it left him late and kissed his outside edge. He had also dismissed India skipper Rohit Sharma earlier in the day, getting the opener for the sixth time in Test cricket. It was his first five-for against India in international cricket and he has now achieved the landmark against all countries he has played more than 15 games against.

Rabada also surpassed Vernon Philander and now has the fifth-most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket among South Africans. Overall, he has played 61 Tests and picked up 285 wickets at an average of 22.09 and a strike rate of 39.3. Overall, among bowlers with at least 200 Test wickets, Rabada is the only bowler with a strike rate below 40. Reduce the threshold to 100 wickets in the history of Test cricket and Rabada is only the second bowler with a strike rate below 40. George Lohmann, who picked up 112 scalps at 34.1 balls per dismissal, is the only one above him; Lohmann played his last Test in 1896.

At home, the numbers improve further. Rabada, now the fourth most successful bowler on South African shores, has taken 178 of his scalps at home at an average of 19.03 and a strike rate of 33.1. No bowler from the country has more than 50 wickets at a better average and the next-best bowler on the list in terms of strike rate (min. 50 wickets) is Dale Steyn, who picked up a Test wicket in every 40.2 deliveries.

Overall, among bowlers with at least 100 wickets at home, Rabada is also on top of the list. No other bowler has taken 100 Test wickets at a strike rate below 35 in the format. Waqar Younis (strike rate of 38.7 at home) and Dale Steyn (40.2) are the bowlers next on the list, highlighting how effective Rabada has been when playing in familiar conditions.

Rabada also now has 500 international wickets at the age of 28. He is the only the third South Africa to pick up 500 wickets across formats before turning 29, with the list led by Shaun Pollock (565) and Makhaya Ntini (548). Rabada is also only the eighth pacer to reach the feat till the age of 28. Overall, he has taken a wicket every 35.1 balls in international cricket and has the best strike rate among all bowlers with at least 500 wickets before turning 29.

The right-armer also continued his excellent form at Centurion. It was his fourth five-wicket haul at the ground in eight Tests. In 15 innings at the SuperSport Park, Rabada has taken 55 wickets at an average of 16.54 and a strike rate of 28.9. Dale Steyn is the only other bowler from South Africa to have taken more wickets at a single ground – he took 57 wickets at Newlands in Cape Town. Rabada is the only bowler to pick up more than 40 wickets at one South African ground and at a strike rate below 30.

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